Where to move in the Caribbean (not Puerto Rico!)?

Question

I traveled to Puerto Rico for the first time a few years back, and I loved it. I continued to go every six months, taking more and more friends with me when I did. My best friends from Seattle have fallen in love with it also. We jokingly began talking about moving there. It is no longer a joke – they are looking for a sailboat to purchase, and we are all now on a ‘two-year moving plan’. Puerto Rico was the destination.

However . . I did some research and found I simply cannot live somewhere with such a barbaric approach to animal rights. Animal cruelty is rampant in Puerto Rico, and the government cares nothing about it. I saw the random dogs, cats and horses abandoned and wondering the streets on my visits there, but what I didn’t know is how these animals are treated by the Puerto Ricans. Teenagers torture the animals for fun. Cabbies run down dogs in the streets without care. Just last year 80 dogs and cats were THROWN FROM A BRIDGE to dispose of them, after being forcibly removed from a housing complex. What does the Puerto Rican government say about all of this? Allow me to quote from the NY Times:

“In our culture we have not addressed these issues because, probably, we did not think they were important,” said Carlos M. Carazo, director of the animal disease division of Puerto Rico’s State Office for Animal Control, in an interview in San Juan last month. “In Puerto Rico, we have so many issues to address, we haven’t had the leisure time to think about animals.”

And save your ‘who cares about animals?’ posts. I do. I like my dogs better than most people. My dad was a big, hard cop, and he gave me one piece of advice I’ve found true my whole life: ‘Never trust anyone who could hurt an animal.’

So, this leaves me with a sour taste for Puerto Rico. I would definitely never move there, nor will I ever visit there again. My question is this . . what other islands down there are friendly? Where is nature in abundance, but a major city just a bit down the road? Where is the real estate not outrageous? My friends are looking to operate sailboat snorkeling and fishing charters; I on the other hand would be looking to open a little restaurant, tavern or snack shop.

I SO appreciate any information that any of you have to offer. At the least, it will mean fun vacations while we investigate your suggestions!

Thank you again!

Answer 1

st.crox in britsh virgin islands ]

there nice.......really anywhere is awsome in carriban

my advice would be to take a carribean crusie so that you can see alot of diffent places and pick a spot you like best to live

good luck but iam moving to puerto rico in july it really is a great place but i m for more animal rights aswell

Answer 2

You are right

       I do not have anything against that beautiful island that is Puerto Rico there are other destinations also they estan the island of San Andes is very similar to which we know what an pleasant atmosphere is Hawaii under crime this the central part that is the Dominican republic there are many mountains and the life is well economic and cheap others not sabria decirte because I do not know it there I leave a connection you in English with info

Cartagena Colombia---  http://gosouthamerica.about.com/od/carta...

Isla de San Andres----  http://gosouthamerica.about.com/od/colre...

Republica Dominicana--------------------  http://geography.about.com/library/maps/...

Answer 3

Well that is a shame, I am an animal lover and that needs some attention, it will stop. I know it will.. I still love Puerto Rico and won't change it for anything else..  Puerto Rico is just awesome!!!

Answer 4

Acapulco has all that you are wanting. they dont abuse their animals they just ignore them

is this behavior right out in the open in PR , or are you just overly sensitive ?

Answer 5

I dont know how the following places that Im going to list see animals and animal rights. You might want to conduct some research regarding that on your own. Anyhow, these are some of the most gorgeous places in the Caribbean:

- The Dominican Republic. (Its also a Latin-American country directly to the right of PR). Lovely people, vibrant culture, awesome beaches! The Punta Cana area is wonderful!

- Turks and Caicos. The beaches are WOW. Breath-taking!

- The Bahamas.

- Cancun (popular city of vacation destination in Mexico) or Conzumel (a tiny island off of Mexico near Cancun).

- Costa Rica

If it were up to me, I prefer Latin-American countries, so my first choice would be the Dominican Republic. They have great music too. For non Latin-American destinations, then my second choice would without a doubt and most definitely be Turks and Caicos. Both of these places are gorgeous. You really win if you go either way. Best of luck!

*** Try researching any of the other West Indies, theres plenty! St. Kitts and Nevis, Guadeloupe, etc. ***

Answer 6

You could move to Puerto Rico

Answer 7

If PR is not a choice, I'd move to Vieques, Culebra, St. Croix, or St. Thomas.

Answer 8

You will need to research the laws governing immigration to islands in the Caribbean.  For many of them, you can't just decide to move there, as they have laws regarding how long a non-citizen can stay, etc.

Grand Cayman is very expensive and you can move there only if you have skills that they don't have within their native population.    The US Virgin Islands, obviously, belong to the US and may have looser regulations regarding living/working there.

You might be able to find some info by doing a search on "moving to the Caribbean" or some such and there are probably books on the subject, also.

Good luck!

Answer 9

it might be some true behind all of that. But That incident when some idiot throw away a lot of peoples pets. Was a big issue in PR. The whole country was very upset and indignated about that. And an investigation was going on. A lot of people was responsible for that awfull mistake and the authorities promise that they would pay bc that was unlawful and a crime.

Also we do have a problem with random dogs and cats in the streets, but is not only bc people abandon then its bc they keep multiplying themselves. I think a low percentage is bc people abandon them. And a lot of people safe those dogs that are in the streets. In my neighborhood, we always take good care of those animals that appear randomly. We even take them to the vet so they don't keep multiplying themselves.

About horses I've never seen random horses in the streets. Most of them are in open green areas but they belong to people that take care of them. If you don't believe me go and try to take one of them with you.

Now I also believe that always you can do better and of course we still have stuff to work on and improve. Specially with teenagers that some have the tendency to be cruel with animals. But I think that is a more deep issue, and comes with other problems ( maybe problem with parents or at home they are abused or don't feel love).

We love animals and we care about them!!!!

Answer 10

the beauty is the geographical part of the Caribbean, but unfortunately the caribbean people are harsh, they are use to the injustice and bureaucracy of a bad society. even hawaiians have a strong personality. the only place i havent heard a complaint from its costa rica, and i bet it has a negative part like any other places, but from several different people thats the only place ive heard of free animals in their natural habitat. i have no idea about domestic animals in costa rica, but i want to visit, just to see if its true.

Answer 11

Aruba is probably the most cuturally advanced country in the Caribbean....it is out of the hurricane belt and the people there are so very intelligent! The cost of living would be higher than some other places but probably comparible to Cayman, Bahamas, or any of the other British Isles.

Answer 12

Look darling. Look clearly: In PUERTO RICO THERE ARE MANY ISSUES. Especially with people and the elderly and such.

So, obviously, we're going to take care first of people and all the internal issues rather than the animals. OK?

People come first than animals and you can't take care of it all at once. Please understand that.

And I happen to have 5 dogs, three fish and they are in perfect condition, and one of my dogs is 7 years old. I do not torture animals in any way. That is just some people who do that.

Not everyone is like that. You should not believe everything you read, and when you live in Puerto Rico THEN you know who does what and what happens where.

Answer 13

Cayman Islands is probably one of the best in the Caribbean.

Bahamas are  nice to but it would probably get way more touristy then the Cayman Islands.

Also if you like exotic places i would recommend Costa Rica.

GOOD LUCK AND HAVE FUN!!!!

Answer 14

Cayman Islands would be a good place to start, everything there is new right now because they had to rebuild after Katrina hit and hit hard, everything was wiped out , Everything is new and beautiful now the water, the sand THE VIEWS are gorgeous!!!

Good Luck!!!